A fence is not a problem if the mower can stay entirely inside one connected lawn. Gates become the bottleneck when separate lawn zones require autonomous travel between fenced areas.

What matters most
Gate width
Zone connectivity
Dock location
Virtual boundaries

The practical answer

Measure every gate and passage the mower must use and compare those dimensions with the mower body plus turning clearance. A technically wide-enough gate can still fail if the approach angle is tight.

The constraint that matters most

If a gate is normally closed, the mower cannot autonomously serve both sides without a separate access solution or manual transport. Mapping software cannot solve a physical barrier.

How to set the mower up for it

Place the charging station in the zone with easiest access, create deliberate mower corridors where needed, and test the route repeatedly before relying on unattended multi-zone schedules.

How we research robot mowers

We normalize manufacturer specifications around the buying constraints that actually change the decision: recommended mowing area, navigation architecture, slope capability, cutting-height range, obstacle sensing, charging behavior, multi-zone support, warranty, parts availability, and current pricing. We give more weight to property fit than to feature count.

Prices, specifications, firmware, and configuration-driven features can change. Check the current manufacturer page and local requirements before buying or installing equipment.